Bausch & Lomb issues ReNu recall

Monday, 15 May 2006

Bausch & Lomb has issued a permanent, worldwide recall of its ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution. The ReNu recall was made after studies by the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked ReNu to more than 100 U.S. cases of the serious fungal eye infection Fusarium keratitis. Experts believe that the chemical properties of ReNu with MoistureLoc made it unable to properly disinfect contact lenses, allowing the Fusarium fungus to infect the eyes of ReNu users. Cases of Fusarium keratitis linked to ReNu have been identified in Asia and the U.S. Although ReNu with MoistureLoc is believed to be the main culprit in the Fusarium outbreak, infections among users of other contact lens solutions, such as Bausch & Lomb’s ReNu Multiplus, have led some to suspect a risk of infection among multi-purpose lens solutions in general. In April, the first of several ReNu lawsuits was filed against Bausch & Lomb. Although B&L now says that it was aware of a potential link between ReNu and outbreaks of the Fusarium fungus as early as November 2005, the company has waited until now to issue the ReNu recall.